Less Texas Coal Shut Down Under Revised Clean Power Plan
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AUSTIN (AP) -- €” The electric distribution grid operator for most of Texas says that a federal mandate to slash carbon emissions nationwide would shut down far fewer coal-fired plants than originally estimated.
In a report released Friday the Electric Reliability Council of Texas says that 4,000 megawatts of coal-fired power, or one in four plants, would shut down. This is a sharp decrease from last November when the operator predicted almost half of the state's coal fleet would shutter.
Last year's analysis was based on a proposed version of a rule which has since been revised with less stringent goals and extended deadlines for compliance.
It would cost the ERCOT system $1 per ton of carbon dioxide to meet the 2022 goals, which could increase retail prices by as much as 16 percent.
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